Domain
name registrants or owners are supposed to provide accurate and correct
registration information, such as address, telephone number and e-mail
address. However, registrants
often enter false mailing address and telephone number information because it
increases the difficulty of finding the domain name registrant. Fortunately, domain name registrars will help you correct any inaccurate registrant
information.
Domain
name registrars require as part of their registration agreements that
registrants provide current and accurate.
For example, GoDaddy's Domain Name Registration Agreement at Section 4 (emphasis added)
You [the registrant] agree to
notify Go Daddy within five (5) business days when any of the information you
provided as part of the application and/or registration process changes. It is your responsibility to keep this
information in a current and accurate status. Failure by you, for whatever
reason, to provide Go Daddy with accurate and reliable information on an
initial and continual basis, shall be considered to be a material breach of
this Agreement and a basis for suspension and/or cancellation of the domain
name.
The
initial and continuing requirement exists because domain name registrars must
maintain a public database -- the WHOIS database -- that "is available to be searched by the
members of the public in order to allow rapid resolution of technical problems
and to permit enforcement of consumer protection, trademark, and other
laws." See Whois Data Reminder Policy (WDRP) FAQs For Domain Name Registrants, at "What is a Whois
Record? What is my duty to keep the information in the record current?"
Thus, when a domain
name registrar is informed that a registrant has entered false information, they will attempt to contact the registrant to obtain corrected inaccurate
information. If the registrar can reach the
registrant, then the information will be updated and you will have an accurate contact information for the registrant. If the registrar cannot reach the registrant, then the registrar will suspend
or cancel the domain name until the registrant contacts the registrar and updates its contact information.
- Henry Park